The ceasefire signed after the 44-day war of 2020 is not being upheld; moreover, the ceasefire has been violated several times, leading to hundreds of casualties and the seizure of Armenia’s sovereign territory in the east and southeast by Azerbaijani forces. This is stated in the European Parliament’s report on EU-Azerbaijan relations.
The document mentions the blocking of civilian traffic through the Lachin corridor, the torture of prisoners of war during the September hostilities, and the assaults and extrajudicial killings of civilians, including the elderly, in 2020 and early 2021.
“The EU is ready to play an active role as a reliable trading partner and fair mediator in establishing lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, basing its actions on promoting democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights,” the report’s authors state, adding that Russia’s conflict in Ukraine has had an impact on the South Caucasus and has further complicated the region’s security situation.
The report also addresses the five principles proposed by Azerbaijan for the normalisation of relations and Armenia’s response to them.
The document also mentions the International Court of Justice’s decision of 7 December 2021 regarding the involvement of the Azerbaijani authorities in the destruction of cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The report notes that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh has greatly hindered the development and stability of the South Caucasus region and, in a broader sense, affects European stability.
“The European Parliament strongly condemns the large-scale military attack against numerous targets on Armenia’s sovereign territory in September 2022… condemns the military incursions carried out along the undelimited border since May 2021, calls on all forces to return to their starting positions, condemns any attempt to undermine the peace process and calls on all parties to refrain from the use of force,” the report states.
The European Parliament also expresses concern over the fate of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, condemns the opening of the so-called “park of war trophies” in Baku, welcomes the agreement on deploying an EU civilian mission in Armenia, and encourages bilateral contacts between the political leaderships of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
At the same time, it is noted that before deepening political and energy cooperation with Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan must improve the situation regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms, which “is still assessed very negatively.” Reference is also made to the corruption prevalent in Azerbaijan, violence against women, and restrictions on freedom of expression.
